DOCSLIB.ORG

Unit 26 Art and Architecture

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Unit 26 Art and Architecture UNIT 26 ART AND ARCHITECTURE Structure Objectives Introduction Background Architecnrre 26.3.1 Residential Architecture 26.3.2 Temples and Towers 26.3.3 Stupas 26.3.4 Rock-cut Architecture Sculptural Art 26.4.1 Gandhara School 26.4.2 Mathura Art 26.4.3 Amaravati Art Let Us Sum Up Key Words Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises 26.0 OBJECTIVES After reading this unit you will be able to : familiarise yourself with important trends of art and architectural activities between 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. learn about the techniques and styles adopted in the fields of architecture and sculpture, distinguish between the major characteristics and forms of the Gandhara, Mathura and Amravati schools of art, and learn about the impact of religious and social conditions on art and architecture of the period. 26.1 INTRODUCTION In some of the earlier Units (Nos. 3, 10, 11) we have seen how artistic forms had started emerging and to what extent they reflected the culture of a period. Works of art which were related to work processes of daily life and were not exclusively produced for a previleged group of society were many. They are found in the forms of rock paintings, terracotta figurines, toys, etc. Gradually works of art, manufactured by specialist craftsmen, came to be produced for exclusive purposes. The Mauryan period witnessed production of splendid specimens of art by the state. With the emergence of social groups who could extend substal patronage for production of specimens of art, new trends in art activities came about. In the post-Mauryan period, patronage by different social groups was the main reason behind the phenomenon that art activities became so widespread all over India and beyond; it was no longer high art exclusively patronized by the state. There was also, from the Mauryan period onward, a shift toward using non-perishable material i.e. stone as a medium of creative expression. There was also constant interaction in this period with those art forms that flourished beyond the frontiers of the Indian sub-continent. There emerged various schools of art. In this unit we shall discuss the main characteristics of Gandhara and Mathura art forms along with those of Sarnath and Amaravati. Most of the art forms were inspired by Buddhism and ~ainismand very few Brahmanical monuments are to be found. This unit also takes into account the architectural and sculptural aspects of various Stupas, viharas and caves etc. India : Century 200 B.C. To 300 A.D. 26.2 BACKGROUND During the Mauryan period sculpture and architecture had reached a developed stage. The Asokan pillars; the animals and carvings on the pillars - all represent mature art forms. A unique feature of the specimens of Mauryan art fashioned in stone is the polish and the smooth, glassy surface not to be found during any other period. In addition to the animal figures, the most famous piece of art is the figure of Yakshini from Didarganj, Patna. This superb art piece tells us about the hairstyle, ornaments and dress of women during that period. The Mauryan levels at sites which have been excavated have yielded a large number of terracotta figurines. They indicate that artistic creations were not confined to the Imperial level alone, and even when Mauryan Imperial art declined and new forms of art emerged, the practice of producing terracotta figurines on a substantial scale continued. In the field of architecture we get information about Chandragupta's wooden palace from Megasthenes. Excavations at Pataliputra have revealed wooden walls and columns. We also have references about the construction of Stupas during the Mauryan period from the accounts of Fa-heing, Hiuen-Tsang and in Buddhist literature. Sanchi, Sarnath, Taxila and Bharhut were some of the religious centres in which Stupas may have been originally built in the Mauryan period, and additions were made to them in the later period. In the period between 200 B.C.- 300 A.D. certain general characteristics of art may be highlighted : 1) Art activities in this period were mostly related to religions practised in this period and symbols and units associated with them. 2) The Buddha image which began to be sculpted in this period was-a departure from earlier representations of him in the form of Bodhi tree, Stupa, foot prints,,etc. Making of images for worship became common among other religions as well. 3) The construction of Stupas, Chaityas and Viharas became popular. 4) The art forms and all of their symbolic representations were not exclusive toany particular religion. For example, the Bharhut and Sanchi Stupas not only depict scenes from the life of the Buddha but also the reliefs of Yakshas, Yakshinis, Nagas and other popular deities. 5) Similarly, we find that the artists, in order to decorate the Stupas, carved many scenes which they observed in nature along with religious ideas. In fact, these are examples of secular art forms. 6) Because of regular interactions with other cultures in this period we also find elements of non-Indian art in the artistic creations of this period. This is particularly true of the Gandhara region which produced art typical to the region, in which many different elements came to be assimilated. If Let us now examine in some detail the various aspects of art and architecture of this period. 26.3 ARCHITECTURE The architecture of this period can be broadly divided in two categories : i) Residential structures ii) Religious monuments Under the first category we havetvery few surviving monuments since in the initial phase they were built of perishable materials like wood. However, a number of monuments have survived on unearthed through excavations which come under the second category. 26.3.1 Residential ~rchitecture In Block 4 (Unit 15) we have already discussed the pattern of city life on the basis of both literary and archaeological sources. We get similar kind of information for this period also. For example, the Milinda Panha describes a city with moats, ramparts, gate houses, towers, well.laidout streets, markets, parks, lakes and temples. There are references to Art and Architecture buildings of several storeys with wagon-vaulted roofs and verandas - mostly constructed of wood. This description to an extent is corroborated by archaeological sources. However, in the countryside not much change is noticed in architectural style or types of hutrnents. 26.3.2 Temples and Towers For this period, we have very insufficient data on temple structures from excavations. The earliest known temples for this period are : The temple at' Jhandial (Taxila) The Sankarshana temple at Nagari (Rajasthan) The temple at Besnagar (Madhya Pradesh) An apsidal temple at Nagarjunakonda (Andhra Pradesh). We know from Fa-hein's account, written several centuries, later of the existence of a tower at Purushapura (Peshawar). It was a grand structure with 13 storeys surmounted by an iron column with imposing umbrellas. The construction of this tower is attributed to Kanishka-I. In fact the constmction of temples in which deities were inshrined for worship became common only at a later date and the Buddhist Stupas and other structures were the common forms of religious architecture in this period. 2. Jhandial Temple 26.3.3 Stupas The practice of preserving the remains of an important personality below accumulated earth was long in existence. Buddhist art adopted this practice and the structure built over such a site was known as Stupa. According to Buddhist sources, the remains of the Buddha's body were divided into eight parts and placed under the Stupas. These during the time of Asoka, were dug out and redistributed which led to the construction of other Stupas - the sacred places of Buddhism. The worship of Stupas led to their ornamentation and a specific type of architecture developed for their construction. The Stupas had the shape of a bowl turned upside down. At the top, which was a bit flat, used to be its harmika, i.e. the abode of the Gods. It was here that the urns containing the remains of the Buddha or a great personality connected with the religion was placed in a gold or silver casket. A wooden rod (Yashti) was placed in its'middle and the bottom of the rod was fixed on the top of the Stupa. On the top of this rod were placed three small umbrella type discs symbolising respect, veneration and magnanimity. Let us briefly discuss some of the prominent Stupas: i) Bodha Gaya (Bihar) India : Century 290 B.C. Fifteen kilometres from Gaya is the site where Lord Buddha gained 'knowledge' (bodhi) and To 300 A.D. it was here that Asoka got a 'Bodhi-Manda' constructed. No trace of the original construction has survived. We have only the remains of the stone pillars constructed during the Sunga period like the raiting pillars found around other Stupas and they too have sculpture the panels in relief. They illustrate storks from the Buddhist Jatakas. ii) Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh) Sanchi is about 14 kilometers from Vidisa (Bhilsa) and is perhaps the most famous Stupa site in India. It has three Stupas all with gateways around them. But the most famous is the Great Stupa which was originally made of brick in Asoka's time (C. 250 B.C.). During the Sunga period this was later on nearly doubled in circumference in 150 B.C. The bricks of Asokan times were replaced by stones, and a 'Vedika' was also constructed around it. Four gates, one in each direction, were added to beautify it. From the Southern gate we get an inscription from its architrave which tell us that it was donated by King Satakarni and the incision work was done by those craftsmen who worked in ivory.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ancient Indian Art – a Formal Analysis Dr
    Ancient Indian Art – A formal analysis Dr. Uma Chakraborty ABSTRACT Distinctive artistic activity in ancient India began with Harappan miniature art pieces. An art, monumental in conception and precise in execution is noticed in the Mauryan period.The native style of simplicity and folk appeal is best represented in the narrative Sunga art which forms a treasure house of fables, visually represented.The Kushana sculptures fostered a mixed culture with Graeco-Roman affiliation.The sensuous sculptural art that bloomed at Amaravati and Nagarjunikonda display a mastery in detailed ornamentation.The human figure, the pivot of Gupta sculpture expressed a characteristically refined taste and charm .The synthesis culminated in the Pala-Sena period is a fusion of classical mannerism with the indigenous style of Bengal. The magnificent open air bas-relief sculpted out of rockat Mahabalipuram glorifies Pallava art. Casting of bronzes under the imperial Cholas was an age of refinement of Dravidian art.This innovation and creativity exerted lasting influence on the art movement that glorify our cultural past. Key words : Art, sculpture, relief, terracotta, bronze, Introduction Art forms are expression of people belonging to different cultural and social groups. History of Indian art begins with the pre-historic cave paintings. It is considered as an evidence of a creative explosion when the minds of ancient humans became fully developed. Generally speaking Indian art is an anonymous art, as the sculptor or the artist never sought to glorify himself. He always gave his best as a humble offering to his patron, the king or exercised his imaginative impulse through his creations.
    [Show full text]
  • Ghfbooksouthasia.Pdf
    1000 BC 500 BC AD 500 AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 2000 TAXILA Pakistan SANCHI India AJANTA CAVES India PATAN DARBAR SQUARE Nepal SIGIRIYA Sri Lanka POLONNARUWA Sri Lanka NAKO TEMPLES India JAISALMER FORT India KONARAK SUN TEMPLE India HAMPI India THATTA Pakistan UCH MONUMENT COMPLEX Pakistan AGRA FORT India SOUTH ASIA INDIA AND THE OTHER COUNTRIES OF SOUTH ASIA — PAKISTAN, SRI LANKA, BANGLADESH, NEPAL, BHUTAN —HAVE WITNESSED SOME OF THE LONGEST CONTINUOUS CIVILIZATIONS ON THE PLANET. BY THE END OF THE FOURTH CENTURY BC, THE FIRST MAJOR CONSOLIDATED CIVILIZA- TION EMERGED IN INDIA LED BY THE MAURYAN EMPIRE WHICH NEARLY ENCOMPASSED THE ENTIRE SUBCONTINENT. LATER KINGDOMS OF CHERAS, CHOLAS AND PANDYAS SAW THE RISE OF THE FIRST URBAN CENTERS. THE GUPTA KINGDOM BEGAN THE RICH DEVELOPMENT OF BUILT HERITAGE AND THE FIRST MAJOR TEMPLES INCLUDING THE SACRED STUPA AT SANCHI AND EARLY TEMPLES AT LADH KHAN. UNTIL COLONIAL TIMES, ROYAL PATRONAGE OF THE HINDU CULTURE CONSTRUCTED HUNDREDS OF MAJOR MONUMENTS INCLUDING THE IMPRESSIVE ELLORA CAVES, THE KONARAK SUN TEMPLE, AND THE MAGNIFICENT CITY AND TEMPLES OF THE GHF-SUPPORTED HAMPI WORLD HERITAGE SITE. PAKISTAN SHARES IN THE RICH HISTORY OF THE REGION WITH A WEALTH OF CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AROUND ISLAM, INCLUDING ADVANCED MOSQUE ARCHITECTURE. GHF’S CONSER- VATION OF ASIF KHAN TOMB OF THE JAHANGIR COMPLEX IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN WILL HELP PRESERVE A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF THE GLORIOUS MOGHUL CIVILIZATION WHICH WAS ONCE CENTERED THERE. IN THE MORE REMOTE AREAS OF THE REGION, BHUTAN, SRI LANKA AND NEPAL EACH DEVELOPED A UNIQUE MONUMENTAL FORM OF WORSHIP FOR HINDUISM. THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF CONSERVATION IS THE PLETHORA OF HERITAGE SITES AND THE LACK OF RESOURCES TO COVER THE COSTS OF CONSERVATION.
    [Show full text]
  • 192. Great Stupa at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh, India. Buddhist, Maurya
    192. Great Stupa at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh, India. Buddhist, Maurya, late Sunga Dynasty. c. 300 B.C.E. – 100 C.E. Stone masonry, sandstone on dome The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India[1] and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE built over the relics of the Buddha It was crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolising high rank, which was intended to honour and shelter the relics 54 feet tall and 120 feet in diameter The construction work of this stupa was overseen by Ashoka's wife, Devi herself, who was the daughter of a merchant of Vidisha. Sanchi was also her birthplace as well as the venue of her and Ashoka's wedding. In the 1st century BCE, four elaborately carved toranas (ornamental gateways) and a balustrade encircling the entire structure were added With its many tiers it was a symbol of the dharma, the Wheel of the Law. The dome was set on a high circular drum meant for circumambulation, which could be accessed via a double staircase Built during many different dynasties . An inscription records the gift of one of the top architraves of the Southern Gateway by the artisans of the Satavahana king Satakarni: o "Gift of Ananda, the son of Vasithi, the foreman of the artisans of rajan Siri Satakarni".[ o Although made of stone, they were carved and constructed in the manner of wood and the gateways were covered with narrative sculptures. They showed scenes from the life of the Buddha integrated with everyday events that would be familiar to the onlookers and so make it easier for them to understand the Buddhist creed as relevant to their lives At Sanchi and most other stupas the local population donated money for the embellishment of the stupa to attain spiritual merit.
    [Show full text]
  • Lotus Bud Finial Asana Pose the Great Stupa at Sanchi Sakyamuni
    Resources: https://www.britannica.com/techn ology/pagoda, http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/arti TITLE: Pagoda (replica) cles/i/iconography-of-the- ARTIST: Unknown buddha/, DATE: Unknown http://fsu.kanopystreaming.com/vi SIZE: Height: 3 ¾; Width: 2 ¼; Depth: 1 7/8 inches deo/great-stupa-sanchi, MEDIUM: Wood https://prezi.com/nzoahwiq3owv/t AQUISTION #: 88.1.7 odaiji-the-great-eastern-temple/, http://thekyotoproject.org/english/ ADDITIONAL WORKS BY THE ARTIST IN COLLECTION? pagodas/ YES _ NO_ UNKNOWN X Context In the third century BCE, Emperor Ashoka commissioned the first “Great Stupa” in Sanchi, India. A stupa is a large dome tomb that was created to house relics of the Buddha. The “Great Stupa” held the Buddha’s ashes and was constructed in three parts: a base, body, and decorative finial. The decorative finial is the crowning element located at the highest point of the stupa. Throughout many centuries the design of the stupa structure evolved from the rounded monument to the multi-storied structure now known as the pagoda. Constructed and adapted throughout East Asia, the common building materials consist of brick, wood, or stone. Pagodas also range in a variety of sizes. Some are towers with high reaching crowning pieces and others are short. Today any Pagoda is a pilgrimage site. The Great Stupa at Sanchi Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple The wooden pagoda in Yingxian, China is the oldest tiered structure in the world. Built in 1056, the nine-story building is 67.31 meters high. With multiple pagoda structures located throughout the world, this was the first wooden structure completed under the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1912).
    [Show full text]
  • The Buddha Project Part 1
    TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS IN 2016 Reclining Buddha in the Ajanta caves India: Land of Many Gods ELEPHANTA – AJANTA – ELLORA – SANCHI – BODH GAYA – NALANDA with Jackie Menzies 26 Jan– 12 Feb 2016 (18 days) India: Land of Many Gods The faith of over 300 million people, Buddhism encompasses the teachings of Siddhartha Guatama (the Buddha). Travelling through India, China, Korea and Japan immerse yourself in The Buddha Project as you follow the steps of this ancient religion. In this four part series of tours, visit heritage listed Buddhist caves, sacred temples and spiritually signifi cant sites that convey the complex heritage of this belief system. Begin the project with part one, India: Land of Many Gods, and see a nation that is home to the great religions of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Visit Bodh Gaya, where TOUR LEADER the Buddha attained enlightenment; Ajanta, with its exquisite cave paintings; and idyllic Sanchi, fi lled with ancient monuments. This journey through India has been shaped by Jackie Menzies OAM is Emeritus Curator of Asian sites signifi cant to Buddhism, but major sites of other religions are also included. See Art at the Art Gallery of Elephanta with its superbly sculpted images; explore the vibrant sacred city of Varanasi; NSW, and has travelled widely tour the richly embellished Hindu temples of Khajuraho; and delve into the lives and through Asia. From 1979 to beliefs of India and her people. 2012 (as Head of Asian Art at AGNSW), she curated many exhibitions, and contributed At a glance… to scholarly catalogues on Asian
    [Show full text]
  • Asoka's Dhamma
    / ASORA'S DIIAMMA - Ninnal C. Sinha A soka's place is second in the history of Dhamma, second only to ~he founder, Gautama Siddhartha the Buddha. Both Theravada (Southern Buddhist) and Mahayana (Northern Buddhist) traditions agree on this point that Asoka is second to Buddha. Nigrodha or Upagupta, Nagasena or Nagatjuna, both Theravada and Mahayana traditions agree, rank after Asoka. Brahmanical (Hindu) literary works extant bear testimony to Asoka being a great Buddhist. Kalhana in Rajatarangini (12th Cent. A.D.) records Asoka as having adopted the creed of Jina (= Buddha) and as the builder of numerous Stupas and Chaityas. Modem scholars, mostly European, however question the authenticity or purity of Asoka's Dhamma. Critics of Asoka notice the absence of Four Noble Truths, Eight Fold Path and Nirvana from Asoka's Edicts and point to Asoka's mention of Svaga (Svarga) or Heaven in the Edicts. Some scholars hint that Asoka's toleration policy was to accommodate Brahmanical faith while others label Asoka's Dhamma as his invention. In my submission Asoka was a Buddhist first and a Buddhist last. Asoka's own words, that is, Asoka's Edicts substantiate this finding. Inscriptions of Asoka were read and translated by pioneer scholars like Senart, Hultzsch, Bhandarkar, Barua and Woolner. I 5 cannot claim competence to improve on their work and extract mainly from the literal translation of Hultzsch (Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Volume I, London 1925). This ensures that I do not read my own meaning into any word of Asoka. For the same reason I use already done English translation ofPali/Sanskrit texts.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects of Ancient Indian Art and Architecture
    ASPECTS OF ANCIENT INDIAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE M.A. History Semester - I MAHIS - 101 SHRI VENKATESHWARA UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH-244236 BOARD OF STUDIES Prof (Dr.) P.K.Bharti Vice Chancellor Dr. Rajesh Singh Director Directorate of Distance Education SUBJECT EXPERT Dr. S.K.Bhogal, Professor Dr. Yogeshwar Prasad Sharma, Professor Dr. Uma Mishra, Asst. Professor COURSE CO-ORDINATOR Mr. Shakeel Kausar Dy. Registrar Author: Dr. Vedbrat Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Department of History, College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi Copyright © Author, 2019 All rights reserved. No part of this publication which is material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized or stored in any form or by any means now known or hereinafter invented, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the Publisher. Information contained in this book has been published by VIKAS® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. and has been obtained by its Authors from sources believed to be reliable and are correct to the best of their knowledge. However, the Publisher and its Authors shall in no event be liable for any errors, omissions or damages arising out of use of this information and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular use. Vikas® is the registered trademark of Vikas® Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. VIKAS® PUBLISHING HOUSE PVT LTD E-28, Sector-8, Noida - 201301
    [Show full text]
  • Buddha in Art: from Symbol to Image
    BUDDHA IN ART : FROM SYMBOL TO IMAGE Kalyankumar Ganguli There is a common impression about Buddhism that its impact was completely lost sight of in India long before the present age. Facts bearing to the contrary are, however, not quite rare to trace. One of the positive outcomes of the impact of Buddhism was probably the realisation of objects of veneration into techtonically formulated shapes held as images which have been used for the prupose of divination and worship. Realisation of divinities in visual form of idols and the worship of the same have been existing as a common phenQmenon among many ancient civilizations of the world. But in India there has been a marked difference in the phenomenon of image worship from the same as existing elsewhere. Here, the figure of the deity put into visual form is found to ha ve evolved as an aid in the endeavour on the part of the worshipper to attain concentration. It came to be tec\lJl.i<;;:ally known as a yantra or instrument which has been processed in order to help the worshipper to imbibe within his or her inner consciousness a complete identity with the object of veneration and full realisation of the essence of the same within one'llown inner self. In every possibility, as traditions may help in establishing, it had been through the endeavours of some thinkers owing allegiance to Buddhism that this aspect of image worship was evolved as a means of absorption and fulfilment. The realisation of this highly efficacious measure had not been accomplished all at once at a particular time.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Art in India
    Buddhist Art in India Radha Banerjee Indian art is an expression of Indian life and thought attuned to its vast natural background and its socio- religious traditions. It is not exclusive or sectarian in the narrow sense of the term. Its style, technique or general tenor has nothing to do with any particular religious outlook. It is fed and fostered upon a vast store-house of Indian traditions, symbols and designs. The term Hindu, Jaina or Buddhist art is but a popular nomenclature to distinguish one group of monuments, including painting, cave-temples and architecture, etc., from another stand point of the predominance of one or the other religious theme. Hence, by Buddhist art is meant popularly those monuments and paintings which have for the main purpose the edification or popularization of Buddhism. Fortunately enough in India and outside where Buddhism did exist, or still exists, there are innumerable monuments representing different phases of Buddhism and these help us to visualize the trend of Buddhist art through the ages. In Buddhist legends and Mythology, Gautama Buddha has been represented as superior not only to the popular cult divinities of the soil, such as the Yakshas, Nagas, etc. but also to Indra, Brahma and others of the earlier Brahmanical pantheon. Everything with him has been described as transcendental. This is amply represented in Buddhist art. The Early Symbols and their evolution Buddhist art reflects very faithfully all the important aspects of Buddhism. In primitive Buddhism, Gautama Sakyamuni has been regarded as an ideal human being and quite naturally we find that the early Buddhist art of Bharhut, Sanchi, Bodh-Gaya and Amaravati and other places shows no anthropomorphic representation of the Master.
    [Show full text]
  • BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY Department of History of Art Faculty of Arts B.A
    BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY Department of History of Art Faculty of Arts B.A Guidelines Admission to B.A. Course (I Semester) in History of Art shall be open to candidates as per university rules. B.A. in History of Art is of 6 Semester Course. A student is required to earn 60 credits to have a B.A. degree in History of Art. There shall be following course category offered to the students: • Core Course 08 of 3 credits =24 credits (I to IV Sem.) • Core Course 08 of4credits =32credits (V & VI Sem.) • Core Course 01 of 4 credits =04credits (VI Sem.) (Field study Project/Dissertation) Total =60 credits Thus, the total number of courses will be: 17 Keeping in view the spirit of the subject, the exposure to Cultural studies, Museums or any Field Study Programme will be beneficial to the students. Therefore a course of Field Study Project Report/Dissertation is introduced, which will be submitted in the end of sixth semester followed by viva voce. The Viva-voce for the Field Study Project Report/Dissertation will be conducted for the students of VI Semester. The Board of Studies empowers the Internal members of the Board of Studies of History of Art to update/modify the syllabus as per the need of the subject and the faculty members, to maintain the true spirit of the semester system, and the need of the Department. As per the university guidelines, the Internal members of Board of Studies may add new papers to fulfil the required 60 credits. All the Core courses proposed by the Department are as follows: BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY Department of
    [Show full text]
  • 08-Luczanits-Engl:Layout Gandhara.Qxd 20.10.2008 17:29 Uhr Seite 72
    08-Luczanits-engl:Layout Gandhara.qxd 20.10.2008 17:29 Uhr Seite 72 Christian Luczanits Early Buddhism and Gandhara Buddha Śākyamuni, who probably died, or entered parinirvāṇa, at around (cf. map 1, p. 31). These are all places in the central Ganges valley in 380 B.C.E., was born in the border region between India and Nepal where Northern India, a region that would play an important role in the history he also grew up. He lived and taught in a relatively small area in central of South Asia again and again. North India.1 This primary area of influence is defined by the main events Apparently, Buddhism had spread relatively far in a short amount of in his life: Lumbinī, the place of his birth, in the north, Bodhgāya, the time, and about 100 years after the Buddha’s death, the Maurya king place of his Awakening, in the south, Sārnāth, the place of his first ser- Aśoka was an especially effective catalyst for its propagation. In later Bud- mon, in the west, and Kuśinagara, the place of his death, in the east dhist legends, this is honoured and exalted accordingly. Thus, Aśoka had Fig. 1 Stupa 1 at Sanchi, whose core dates back to the time of Asoka 08-Luczanits-engl:Layout Gandhara.qxd 20.10.2008 17:29 Uhr Seite 73 been responsible for opening most of the nine stupas originally erected after the Buddha’s death in the core regions of Buddhism and spreading their relics even further (cf. Kuwayama, pp. 170ff.). Early Buddhism then originally manifests itself materially in the stupa, which first of all stands for a specific Buddha – or another Buddhist saint – whose relics were de- posited in its interior.
    [Show full text]
  • ARCHITECTURE and SCULPTURE from PHASE I 2.1 the Mauryan Period in Gandhara
    CHAPTER TWO ARCHITECTURE AND SCULPTURE FROM PHASE I 2.1 The Mauryan Period in Gandhara The edicts carved on boulders and pillars at the behest of the north Indian Mauryan emperor Asoka perhaps helped to consolidate his empire and to stress some Buddhist values such as dhanna or ahimsa. More than half a dozen of these rock-cut edicts survive in Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, but the most famous and pertinent to the Peshawar basin tradition is the one at Shabazgarhi. 1 Although the edicts do not directly address the introduction of Buddhism into northwest India, most scholars consider them to be evidence of the beginning of Buddhism in this region. In the legends of Asoka (recorded in the later Asokavadana), this emperor is credited with the extraordinary act of constructing 84,000 stupas containing true relics of the Buddha. 2 It is by means of this mythic act that relics were "credibly" established throughout the Indian subcontinent; however, such stupas are very difficult to iden­ tify in the archaeological record. It has been suggested that Buddhist 1 For a discussion of the Kharo~!hf Asokan inscription from Shabazgarhi in terms of its social and political significance, See R. Thapar, Asoka and the Decline ef the Mauryas: With a New Aflerword, Bibliograplfy, and Index, rev. ed. (Delhi and New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 123-8. Several Mauryan inscriptions from Afghanistan have come to light: (I) an Aramaic inscription from Laghman (fifth or seventh pil­ lar edict of Asoka); (2) a second Aramaic inscription from Laghman (dated to tenth year of Asoka; discusses his conversion to Buddhism, expulsion of vanity, and pro­ hibition against fishing); (3) a bilingual rock inscription (Greek and Aramaic) found at Kandahar; (4) a Greek building inscription from Kandahar (end of Asoka edict XII and beginning of edict XIII); (5) an lndo-Aramaic inscription from Kandahar (part of Asoka pillar edict VII).
    [Show full text]